SELBY Warriors ARLC have withdrawn their winter team from the Pennine League - but talk of the club folding is premature.

The Press reported that club chairman Dave Sowden had called for better commitment from players, warning the team's future was in doubt. Last weekend's Pennine division two east match against Doncaster Toll Bar was called off, though, and the team have since been pulled out of the competition.

However, club chiefs are planning to enter the Yorkshire Men's League summer competition, which starts in the spring, and have vowed, too, to play in this year's York & District Cup and Selby Cup.

A social media post by one of the Warriors' first-team coaches, Mark Hanson, said: "The management have decided to fold Selby Warriors' winter team with immediate effect, a continued lack of players on a weekly basis being the main cause.

"I would like to thank every player that's ever worn the shirt for their efforts and thanks to lads like Matty Stevenson, Andy Rowe, David Sowden, Neil Kilgar, Vegas and Wocko for all the extra work they did behind the scenes just to get games on.

"Hopefully we may get a team to enter the summer league. Sad times."

Club co-ordinator Craig Hazell clarified the position.

"The club hasn't folded," he said. "The plan is to regroup and re-focus and get the summer team going. We're pretty confident of getting it moving again."

The majority of amateur rugby league teams have now switched from winter to summer rugby and Hazell reckons it was inevitable the Warriors would follow suit, especially with youngsters who come through junior rugby all now used to the summer game rather than "muddy fields in winter".

Selby previously played games in the entry division of the Yorkshire Men's League and could become full members this year.

In further better news for the Warriors' future, they are also planning to launch new junior teams at under-8s, U9s and U10s, plus a girls' team, when better weather arrives.

Meanwhile, Heworth have begun pre-season training this week for all their age groups.

The open-age Yorkshire Men's League squad - now coached by former York City Knights captain and York Acorn boss Scott Rhodes - train on Tuesdays, from 7.30pm to 8.30pm on Burnholme School's 3G pitch and on Thursdays, from 6.30pm to 8pm, at their Elmpark Way headquarters, with strength and conditioning sessions taking place on Saturdays from 9am to 10am.

The Villagers again plan to run two teams in the YML this year, and new and old players are invited to training.